Projects

Design outcomes from BC projects

Three published projects, each with the problem, the design and the expected outcome in numbers.

Kelowna, BC · Load-compensating fill under a building

Six-storey building over compressible clay

<25 mm

expected settlement over 50 years, down from a projected 85 to 115 mm without ground improvement^[1]

The challenge: A six-storey building on a deep layer of compressible clay, with settlement projected at 85 to 115 mm without ground improvement.^[1]
The solution: The design sub-excavates 1.8 m of soil across the building footprint and backfills with 1.2 m of foam glass aggregate to top of footing, with mineral aggregate above, naming Enviro-Rock as the basis of design. In the case study's words: "Removing roughly 31.5 kPa of soil and replacing it with just 3 kPa of FGA unloads the clay by more than the new building loads it back, keeping settlement in the gentle recompression range."^[1]

Geotechnical design: Ecora Consultants · 1.8 m sub-excavation, 1.2 m of foam glass aggregate

11,000 m³

of recycled-glass fill placed under the field^[2]

The challenge: A soccer field needed a stable, free-draining base, and the original specification called for pumice.^[2]
The solution: Enviro-Rock was accepted as the approved equal to the pumice. A perforated drainage network was trenched into the fill and separated by geotextile from the base aggregate, sand and turf above.^[2]

Design: Van der Zalm + Associates · About 11,000 m³

~200 mm

projected settlement, down from around 600 mm^[3]

The challenge: A playground had to be raised on soft soils at a site that floods seasonally.^[3]
The solution: A 500 mm layer of Enviro-Rock with dual geogrid brought the site to grade with far less load on the soft soils, and the design anchored the buoyant fill against uplift. Settlement gauges monitor the ground.^[3]

Design: Van der Zalm + Associates · About 646 m³

Send us the site, the soil and the volume. We will tell you how Enviro-Rock fits and when it can be there.